1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for teaching the short game of golf, normally approach shots and putting, and, in particular, to a computerized device which, from sensed and inputted information, describes the shot to be taken.
2. The Prior Art
Heretofore the available golf computers have been of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,714 to Banner. This type of computer generally comprises a plurality of superimposed discs, on the order of a circular slide rule, each with a different diameter and with different information displayed along the circumference and at least one surface thereof. None of the information to be used is sensed, except by the golfer, who then must manually enter his perceptions of the distances etc. Such a device cannot accurately plot the next shot to be taken.
U. S. Pat. No. 3,665,494 to Baumoel relates to a device intended to calculate handicaps based on player performance, as indicated on a punched scoring card. This is not a portable device and would do little to actually train a golfer, despite the fact that it uses ". . . the same types of digital integrated circuit components as used in United States aerospace programs."(Col. 2 lines 10-13).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,677 to Remedio to some extent, builds upon the Baumoel teaching to come up with a computerized scoring system which relies heavily on a central computer and a plurality of remote computers. The remote computers can display a lot of information, including past performance, and suggest the next club and shot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,106 to Wang et al and both U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,086,390 and 5,097,416 to Matthews are concerned with computer devices which are more directed to traffic control on a golf course than anything else. Each monitors the position of golf carts on the course and calculates distances from the cart to specific objects. The golfer would still have to make some adjustments for the distance from the cart to the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,095 to Dudley concerns a golf cart mounted computer system utilizing location identifying tags fixed in spaced locations along each fairway to give the player his exact location on the course, or at least the location of his golf cart. This information could also be displayed at the club house or caddy shack to keep others informed of the location of players on the course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,093 to Huston et al concerns another computerized device for measuring distances on a golf course. This also includes a global positioning system relay to exactly locate the player and a display of the current hole being played. The purpose of this is to give exact yardage measurements to facilitate club selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,485 to Fisher concerns a golf computer which provides visual display of the hole being played, record of the golfers's play, suggestion of club to use and relay of information to a base (caddy shack or club house).
There are a great many factors which are involved in each shot, not just the skill of the golfer. For example, the slope of the ground, the height and moisture content of the grass, the wind direction and velocity, and the distance to be covered by the shot. The present invention provides a device for coordinating input of much of the required data to display the optimum shot and the requirements to accomplish the shot.
The present invention is a computerized device for training a golfer primarily in playing the short game (approach shots and putting) aspects of the game of golf. This is the most important portion of the game of golf The drives, or Tee shots, comprise only about twenty-five percent of the number of strokes assigned for par, and, in fact, never exceed eighteen in number. Thus the majority of the shots are the "approach" shots to reach the green, after the tee shot, and putting while on the green. It is these latter shots which comprise the majority of the golfer's score.